March 19, 2010

But take heart -- as a recent io9 article pointed out, there are a lot of interesting genre TV shows in development, some of which are set to arrive on our screens this fall or next year.

Work is also progressing, quietly but deliberately, on one of the biggest sci-fi projects out there: The live-action "Star Wars" TV series.

This isn't a project that George Lucas has gone out of his way to promote -- word has leaked out in dribs and drabs at various conventions and in a few interviews, but there hasn't been much hullabaloo about it. That's because Lucas and executive producer Rick McCallum want all the scripts for the show's first season to be completed before production begins.

"They are working with writers on scripts," a Lucasfilm representative said in response to a query. "They won't set a production date [for Season 1] until the scripts are done."

But work on the unnamed show's scripts appears to be at an advanced
stage -- which isn't surprising, considering the writing of the
live-action show began two years ago.

Could that mean that the live-action series, which has no network home yet, could swing into production some time in the next year? After all, some fan sites seem convinced that the TV show will debut in 2011, but Lucasfilm isn't saying. Still, it would be pretty cool if a worthwhile new "Star Wars" series arrived the same year that George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series arrives on HBO.

However casting has not yet begun, whatever the Internet has said to the contrary (the rumor mill also has the production taking place in Australia, but that is unconfirmed). "They met with people in several countries (including Australia) early on but they are not currently casting. They are not going to start casting until the scripts are completed," according to the Lucasfilm rep.

Lucas and McCallum recruited writers from all over the world, including the UK and Australia, to work on the TV series, which Lucas is financing himself. Bounty hunters and minor characters from the "Star Wars" universe of books and games are said to be the focus of the new show, which takes place in the time frame between "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." It may have a few familiar faces (perhaps including Boba Fett, according to this io9 story), but in the main, the creators have said it will not foreground characters that fans of the property already know (at least one of the actors from the original trilogy isn't expecting to appear in the series).

The animated "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," which airs on Cartoon Network, has "all of the characters that everybody knows — everybody from Yoda to Anakin to Mace Windu to Obi-Wan — everybody's there," Lucas told EW in 2008. "The live-action [TV show] has nobody there, because it's after Episode III, so everybody's dead, basically, or hiding somewhere. You hear about the Emperor, just like you do in Episode IV, but it's mostly about a whole different world. I mean, there are a million stories in the big city — you've only seen one of them."

"It's more of what I would call a soap opera with a bunch of personal dramas in it. It's not really based on action-adventure films from the '30s - it's actually more based on film noir movies from the '40s!" Lucas told Total Film Magazine in 2008.

The best thing Lucas could do before turning on the cameras for this new live-action series is watch all seven parts of this devastating (and funny) critique of "The Phantom Menace." What the "Star Wars" prequels made clear is that, at least when those films were made, Lucas was far more fascinated by the possibilities of technology than in the simple mechanics of good storytelling and character development.

If the new live-action series gives us the memorable characters and milieus we love from the "Star Wars" universe and none of the trade disputes, lazy plotting and wooden dialogue from the prequels, it will have been worth the wait.

Photo: These aren't the droids you're looking for. Well, they may be, but they're mine! This photo depicts part of the Ryan family collection of Lego "Star Wars" characters. Check out Admiral Ackbar enjoying a cool drink as R2-D2 serves cocktails. Nothing like a Corellian ale after a long day of fighting the Empire.

"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy".
"I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you."
"Search your feelings, Father, you can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate."
"But, why must you confront him?"
"Because, there is good in him. I've felt it. He won't turn me over to the Emperor. I can save him. I can turn him back to the good side. I have to try."

Now I ask anyone who belittles the prequels to tell me that any of the above lines are not wooden-sounding and a bit corny. That's what's so great about Star Wars, it's a fairy tale...it's SUPPOSED TO SOUND THAT WAY. When will everyone realize that?

People will never realize that Star Wars is a soap opera, a space opera, and rarely possessed good acting or solid performances. I love all six films and the cartoon. I get it. I don't go into a serious drama expecting Death Stars and laser swords.

The details that have leaked on the Live Action Series sound really cool. It's about a Crime Family. It's also supposed to spawn another live action series and maybe even a third.

Amen Jason....I'll never understand it either. I grew up with the original trilogy, and I love the prequels just as much (and the cartoon is great). I'm convinced the people who trash the prequels are just Star Trek fans in hiding, because they want high brow drama and not action and adventure. I love the corny dialogue, it's just part of all six movies, and they all fit together perfectly.

Yeah, none of the referenced lines above sounded wooden on the screen, and I can't think of a single line from the prequels that even sounded that good on paper. Probably that is because I cannot think of a single line from the prequels at all. Praising the prequels by saying the originals were junk too just doesn't cut it. Jedi was a little creaky, but the first two were classic films filled with character and heart, and they were bolstered by some solid acting all around and a cinematographic style that emphasized visual realism and semi-logic over gee-whiz techno-bangery supplemented with heavy doses of illogical plotting and action.

In other words, the opposite of the prequels. Why I would want to trash the prequels when I desperately was hoping they'd be good is beyond me.

Ugh... Bryan, I am a Star Trek (and Lost) fan, but I'm not hiding. My fandom for Trek has nothing to do with it. The SW prequels a just bloody awful. I don't need it to be serious drama, though if it were that wouldn't be a bad thing. The prequels simply don't have the charm or acting talent (a few actors aside) of the original films.

Pod races, a whiny brat (I meant Jake Lloyd, but it describes Hayden Christensen pretty well too), midichlorians, Jar Jar, an excruciating "romance" (I only saw Attack of the Clones on DVD, and I found myself having to FF through any scene that had Anakin and Padme together), and plot points that don't add up (how could Leia "remember" her mother if she died at childbirth?) made for an awful set of films. Episode III is pretty decent, I guess, but the first two prequels are just unwatchable.

Did I mention Jar Jar?

Anyhow, I certainly don't trust Lucas anymore. I feel like Anakin's pre-Darth story could've been told in one tightly-scripted 3-hour or so movie. Why anyone would need a cartoon that "fills in the gap" between Episodes II & III is beyond me, so I don't know that a live action show set between Ep III and Star Wars (the 1977 movie, that is... That's what it was called when it was released, not "A New Hope") has much to offer either. Not when Lucas doesn't seem to care about good storytelling now.

I'd like to be proven wrong, but I don't expect much.

For the record, I haven't cared for any of the Star Treks since the mostly excellent Deep Space Nine ended. I'm one of the few who didn't care for last year's movie either.

"Episode III is pretty decent, I guess, but the first two prequels are just unwatchable."

Funny how everybody say that. I think Episode 3 was the worst of the 3. Of course The Phantom Menace was ridiculous, and Attack of the Clones looked sometimes like a bad Dawson Creek episode, but at least you could have hope that the story was getting somewhere eventually.

But it was not. Episode 3 started with a very bad space war scene directly taken from a video game. Then, nothing happened for most of the movie. Then a few battles, badly done. The ultimate motivation for Anakin (played by the worst actor in human history in close competition with the guy who plays Clark Kent on "Smallville") was ... love ! Really, that could not be sillier.

Lucas should never have touched Star Wars. He has destroyed it and will not stop until every good memory is dead.

I hope he just hands the series off to television writers with a vision like he did with the Genndy Tartakovsky clone wars (the character development and the stories told in the five minute shorts were better than all three prequels put together). Also John Williams scores are a must like the original Clone Wars Cartoons and Batman the Animated Series with Danny Elfman

It was mentioned on the Buffy DVDs that Joss Whedon met with George Lucas because Lucas' daughter is a fan of Buffy. Whedon doesn't have television show now. It would be a dream to have him be a part of the team even though it is unlikely.

"it's actually more based on film noir movies from the '40s!" . Lucas is bringing back the darkness. That is a good start!

"If the new live-action series gives us the memorable characters and milieus we love from the "Star Wars" universe and none of the trade disputes, lazy plotting and wooden dialogue from the prequels, it will have been worth the wait."

Indeed! Its hope Lucas realizes that he should leave a better legacy than the rubbish writing he himself churns out.
And that is its more of the teenage angst nonsense which is so popular these days.

This will fail major poodoo without: Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, C-3PO, R2D2, Chewbacca, young Han Solo, young Luke Skywalker young Princess Leia Organa, Master Yoda and old Obi-Wan,"Ben" Kenobi. By the way the live-action Star Wars television pilot will be called (spoiler):

STAR
WARS

REBEL ALLIANCE

FALL 2012

I bet $100 on it.

Lucas is waisting his time. He should make the last and final Star Wars Trilogy,"STAR WARS Episode VII,VIII,IX (The Sequel Trilogy). Something the Expanded Universe or after Episode VI-Return of the the Jedi would be nice. Tired of The Clone Wars. The Yuuzhan Vong Wars kick a**. Master Luke Skywalker brings balance to the force NOT Anakin Skywalker.

2011? If they start filming next year, they'll have only a few months to film it. There is NO WAY, it is coming out in 2011. 2012 at earliest.

I've also heard a rumor Lucas is waiting until the final season of Clone Wars animated finishes airing. He originally wanted 5 seasons and at the current rate of production it could conclude in Spring 2014. If the live action show doesn't premiere for another 4 years in Fall 2014, you'd think fans would have moved on for sure? Almost a decade after the final prequel was released?

Seth Green apparently has gotten the official go-ahead from Lucasfilm to develop a Robot Chicken style animated series for Star Wars. This would be the such second animated series announced in just a matter of months along with Squishies (the Kid TV show based on the Galactic Heroes toyline). Both seem to be on fast track for development and could possibly air even earlier than the live action show!

These moves to suddenly focus on other projects rather than concentrate solely on the production of the live action series could very well be its death knell.

why doesn't george make a movie or tv series based on some of the novels. I personally think that the novels tell better stories then the existing movies. How cool would it be to see the valley of the lords on the big screen or do a series on events that happen after episode VI. There is so much more interesting things that happen outside of the "movies" timeline; why do the keep going back to try to make something interesting between the movies. Am I crazy to think that filming something based on the new jedi order or the old republic would sell tickets.

Ok.. here's the opinion of a veteran 30 Year star wars FREAK.. here's my two cents on the matter:

As a loving dad to two beautiful kids, back in march, i decided to share some of my favorite stories from childhood with them, so I watched all six movies last weekend with my five year old boy and nine year old girl.

The original Trilogy. ANH, ESB, ROTJ (Eps IV, V and VI) .. Sacred.. Classics..
Indisputable.. they loved them.. (yes i showed them the old ones first).. They both watched all three, from start to finish, didnt make a peep, didnt ask questions, only watched and enjoyed, and by the end of return of the jedi, they were HOOKED.. my five year old went to bed with his toy lightsaber under his pillow.. something that would melt the heart of any star wars dad..

So.. I showed the same kids the prequels the next day..
(thinking man. if they liked the old ones, theyre gonna love these)

They were bored to tears... and didn't get what was going on half the time..
(so much for the theory that the prequels were made for kids)

My nine year old girl said to me: " Dad.. these movies are all graphics (that's what she calls special effects, smart little girl she is, yes) but i'm bored.. i dont know what's going on.. " I tried explaining the.. plot.. to them.. but there wasnt much to tell them.. and she yawned when i tried to explain the whole trade embargo on naboo debacle..

Same happened when i tried to explain what a separatist movement was.. Same happened when i tried to explain that the stormtrooper bad guys from the classic movies used to be soldiers for the republic and were good guys but turned bad when the emperor issued order 66.. Want to know what my five year old boy said: " Dad.. you meant to tell me they killed all the jedi because some old man said 'order 66 .. thats kind of stupid.. " the simple brutal sincerity of this observation did have a lot of merit given the source.. a five year old.. "Where's chewie and luke?" he really loved chewbacca and was dissappointed to see his favorite wookie only got a few seconds of screen time on ROTS, and the earnest good guy character (luke) was never spoken for.. My five year old.. didnt recognize Anakin as the good guy in any of the prequels.. I told him that that was Luke's dad, but he didnt understand that until the immolation scene, and by then he wasnt very impressed. He just wasnt a likeable person like luke was, Luke you could relate to.. connect to.. Anakin is just some kid who whines a lot and has anger issues.. They never could connect with Anakin, they couldn't relate... Sure Luke was a little whiny in the first movie yes, but he still connected with you, something about his eyes.. his smile.. By ESB, Luke was a bad-ass.. strong, determined, naive but a quick learner.. My kids loved Luke, the 9 year old has an BW head shot of mark Hamil on her door.. i showed her a pic of how he looks today and she said " i dont care he still looks good" .. strange how the heart works..

NEITHER OF THEM understood WHY anakin went dark.. I tried explaining to them but these Kids always had more questions than my answers could provide.. At the end of it all.. the nine year old told me.. " Dad.. that was a stupid reason anakin became darth vader.. i mean.. he did it to protect padme and he almost choked her to death.. That was lame.. "

So... saturday. after watching the classic trilogy.. they were star wars fans..
Sunday after watching the prequels.. they werent so into it.. very dissappointed..
I guess i shouldve shown the prequels first... that was probably my mistake..

So what did i do to save the situation?? I had to show these kids that star wars is still cool... despite the prequels.. Well. i showed the original clone wars cartoon to the five year old and he got excited again.. so he kept going to bed with his green lightsaber.. I got him season 1 and 2 of the new series and he loves them too.. so.. that turned out pretty well..

Strange... i noticed a scene in the original clone wars cartoon where anakin gets in his starfighter and is about to take off, then sees a hologram of padme waving goodbye to him, and he tenderly reaches his mechanical arm through the hologram like trying to hold it.. quickly followed by padme putting his padawan lock away in a keepsake box with the little japor snippet necklace he gave her in ep 1.. That Scene.. in that cartoon.. no words were exchanged... just a few images.. but that scene gave Anakin and Padme more DEPTH and LIFE as characters THAN ANY scene found in the live action prequels.. I kept finding this was true as i kept watching the cartoons.. The guy who voiced anakin in the 3d animated TCW cartoons did a dammn good job too and the cartoon did so much more more to humanize and give depth to these characters!

But .. the nine year old wasnt too into the cartoons.. so what to do about her?
Well.. i got an account with Audible.com and her these audio books and loaded them into her mp3 player:

HEIR TO THE EMPIRE
DARK FORCE RISING
THE LAST COMMAND
KEVIN J ANDERSON'S JEDI ACADEMY TRILOGY
SPECTER OF THE PAST
VISION OF THE FUTURE
VECTOR PRIME

NEEDLESS TO SAY.. she ATE THEM UP!! the LOVES THESE BOOKS.. she's always talking to me about the stories and characters, like Mara Jade (she finally learned who i named her after ;) Talon Kaarde, Kyp Durron, Kam Soluzar, Admiral Thrawn, The noghri.. ysalamiris.. The magic was back!!!!!

Now EVERY FRIDAY we go to borders and i buy her another New Jedi Order book. she's already on book six... she LOVES it.. The boy loves his clone war cartoons, although season 2 ended recently..

So is show these kids Knights of the Old Republic I and II for XBOX (1) and bought THE FORCE UNLEASHED for WII.. They love these games!!!

SO..... After this whole testimonial.. there is a VERY important point to be made here....

When george lucas wrote the first three films, he was hungry, inspired, and desperate.. from personal experience i know that these are the conditions where storytellers come up with their BEST stuff.. HOWEVER..
Twenty years or so later.. he tried to make lighting strike twice with the prequels.. and never did quite make it happen.. at least not for me and my kids.. BUT.. what i have noticed is..

80% the BEST STUFF having to do with star wars TODAY.. is stuff that GEORGE LUCAS DIDNT WRITE... Think about it..

The Force Unleashed storyline - Awesome story, cool characters.. george didnt write it...
Knights of the Old Republic I and II and the upcoming Old Republic MMO.. : AMAZING STUFF.. george didnt write it...
Tales of the Jedi - Kickass stories from the ancient era of the canon.. george didnt write it...
The ' Heir to the Empire' Zahn SEQUEL Novels (which to me are Episodes VII, VIII and IX.. ) I could hear williams soundtrack while reading them.. george didnt write it...
The clone wars cartoon, which showed the prequel characters displaying more realism and emotion than they ever did in the live films.. george didnt write it...
The New Jedi Order Series.. the Yuuzhan Vong war.. The Legacy Books.. george didnt write them....

AND THANKFULLY.. i am very pleased to see that this new live action TV series (which if i understand correctly is drawing HEAVILY from the Expanded universe material) WILL NOT BE WRITTEN BY GORGE HIMSELF.. so.. of course theres a high likelyhood that it will indeed kick some serious wamprat!!!

Conclusion:
AS LONG AS GEORGE DOESNT WRITE IT.. IT COULD STILL RULE.
of course this is my humble opinion.. i could be wrong..

I know Starwars ended, all 6 episodes are over, but has anyone heard about creating new episodes? Every great movie has a second episode which almost always is very bad, only this one has 6 episodes which everyone likes. Has anyone heard about additional episodes?

This would be the such second animated series announced in just a matter of months along with Squishies (the Kid TV show based on the Galactic Heroes toyline). Both seem to be on fast track for development and could possibly air even earlier than the live action show!

There are several milestone events related to college admissions: comple-
tion of standardized testing, determining the optimal time to apply to a
school, and developing/completing your application essays.

I know Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series conceived by George Lucas.The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox. But i got some more and happy to know that new series is coming.

It’s been six years since George Lucas first announced that he was developing a live-action Star Wars television series, and it seems we’re going to be waiting a little longer yet. In an interview, producer Rick McCallum revealed that he and Lucas would be putting the show on hold for another three to four years — but that when shooting does begin, it will be shot largely in the Czech Republic, possibly in Prague.

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